Embattled Republican Rep.George Santoswas arrested Wednesday morning after federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against the New York lawmakerfollowing an investigationinto his financial disclosures and allegedfalse claims.
The13-count indictment, unsealed Wednesday morning in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, charges Santos with seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.
If Santos is convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the top counts, according to the Justice Department.
“This indictment seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” United States Attorney Breon Peacesaid in a statementannouncing the arrest. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself.”
Peace continued: “He used political contributions to line his pockets, unlawfully applied for unemployment benefits that should have gone to New Yorkers who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and lied to the House of Representatives.”
Nassau County District AttorneyAnne T. Donnelly, who worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate Santos, added that in addition to allegedly collecting unemployment benefits while he was employed and running for Congress, he was believed to have “pocketed campaign contributions and used that money to pay down personal debts and buy designer clothing.”
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“As we allege, Congressman Santos committed federal crimes, and he will now be forced to face the consequences of his actions,” added FBI assistant director-in-charge Michael J. Driscoll.
Santos will be arraigned at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, on Wednesday afternoon to answer to the charges. Sourcestell ABC Newsthat Santos is expected to plead not guilty.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthytold CNN on Tuesday that he will examine the charges before deciding on whether to remove Santos from Congress. PEOPLE’s requests for comment Wednesday from Santos and McCarthy were not immediately returned.
Rep. George Santos outside his office on Capitol Hill.Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images
Santos has generated substantial controversy since his election to Congress in November, particularly after a bombshellNew York Timesreport found that many of the claims he made on the campaign trail and on his resume were unsubstantiated.
The outlet said Santos misled voters about his level of education, previous jobs and family ties to the Holocaust, news that earned him bipartisan condemnation for misrepresenting himself.
Santos himself acknowledged that he has “embellished” significant portions of his resume, telling theNew York Postthathe lied aboutworking at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, as he had previously asserted, and about attending Baruch College and New York University (he did not graduate from college).
Santos has said the funds given to his campaign came from his company, the Devolder Organization, whichThe Washington Posthas reported was organized just one month before the Republican declared his latest candidacy in 2021.
Rep. George Santos.Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty
Other allegations have also cropped up, such as claims that Santos oncescammed a Navy veteran out of $3,000meant for his ailing service dog. CNN andPoliticoreported in February that federal investigators were looking into those claims.
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In January, Santos told colleagues he wouldtemporarily resignfrom his assignments on the Small Business and Science Committees while various investigations into his past play out.
Despite the ongoing investigations, the freshman lawmaker filed paperwork for his 2024 reelection campaign in March to keep his District 3 seat, according to theFederal Election Commission website. The district is made up of parts of Long Island and Queens.
source: people.com
